Environmental Factors and Infectious Disease

Global warming and the international implications of climate change could greatly influence infectious disease and jeopardize the health of many people. This is all due to a change in the climate that could greatly change the way we are able to cope with infections. Disease that is caused by insects, such as malaria carried by mosquitos, is more likely to occur with global warming. This is due to the higher number of mosquitos in higher temperatures (Shuman, 2010). In regard to a disease such as AIDS/HIV global warming can decrease natural resources, making poverty more of an issue in places such as Africa (Hunter, 2006). This increased poverty in turn creates an environment of disparity, causing unsafe sex to occur with young women and older men who have resources. Along with increased poverty and a depletion of resources, nutrition is not available for those who already have HIV/AIDS, making their overall health even worse than before. Largely, global warming has many effects that can trickle down, such as the spread of disease, increased poverty and a depletion of natural resources. 

An infection control policy is a policy that is implemented to protect the patients, staff and visitors of a nursing home. A potential policy could include a designated visitors area that is the only place outside visitors may come and visit their guests. This would prevent the potential of outside infections getting into the nursing home and spreading to the vulnerable patients. Along with the designated visiting area, an isolation policy will be implemental for those with infections. They would be assisted by a limited number of staff that is highly trained in maintaining a sterile environment for the patients. If there was an infection to spread, there are many possible ways this could have happened. Improper sterilization of items such as plates, utensils, and cups could easily pass an infection to a resident. This could be prevented by washing the items at a high temperature with a sterilizing solution, creating clean and safe items for the residents.  

References

Hunter, L. (2006). HIV/AIDS and the natural environment - Population Reference Bureau. Home - Population Reference Bureau. Retrieved from http://www.prb.org/Articles/2006/HIVAIDSandtheNaturalEnvironment.a 

Shuman, E. (2010, March 25). Global climate change and infectious diseases. http://www.nejm.org. Retrieved from http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMp0912931#t=article